Goodspeed's Biographies

G.
T. Sikes
is one of the most prominent farmers of Jackson Township. He was
born in Alabama in 1858, the elder of two children born to Miles
and Emily (Talbot) Sikes, natives of Georgia. His father was
engaged as an overseer in Alabama, to which State he had come at
an early day, and where, later on, he was married. At the
outbreak of the war, he entered the Confederate service and died
from sickness in the fall of 1864. His wife had died one month
prior. This left our subject and his young brother, John, with
their grandfather, Green Talbot. Mr. Talbot was in the War of
1812, in which he served with distinction and was always known as
General. He had been sheriff in Georgia for some time, and was
well known in Chambers County, Alabama. He died in 1875, and left
his excellent widow in charge of our subject. She died in 1886,
and Mr. Sikes takes pride in the fact that as they attended him
in his youth he supported and comforted their old age. Our
subject's youth was spent on the farm in Alabama until he was
twelve years of age, when his grandparents came to Arkansas and
settled in Calhoun County, and bought a farm in Jackson Township.
The educational advantages of our subject and his brother, John,
were very limited. They assisted each other, and, after a time,
began to teach school; one would teach while the other worked the
farm. In 1883 John began the study of medicine, and in 1884 he
went to Cleveland County, where he placed himself under the
instruction of Dr. Tims, a cousin. He had been there only about
three months when he was taken sick with typhoid fever, and died
December 18, 1884. He was a young man of great promise, ambitious
to secure an education and secure a position in the world. His
adoption of the profession of medicine was his own choice, with
the counsel of his brother, our subject, and his brilliant youth
insured a successful future, which was frustrated by his early
death. At the time of his grandfather's death, the old place was
encumbered, and they soon made arrangements to purchase the
place, on which our subject now resides - a farm of 120 acres,
forty of which are under cultivation. Our subject has put in all
improvements, erected a good double house and outbuildings, did
the clearing, and now has as good a farm as that section affords,
and is still engaged in making further clearing. He is engaged in
general farming, striving to raise everything that he needs for
home consumption. He averages one-half bale of cotton to the
acre, and, say, fifteen bushels of corn. In connection with his
farming he still teaches school. Mr. Sikes is unmarried, and his
housekeeping is attended to by an aunt, Miss Harriet Talbot, who
came to Arkansas with her parents, and has always made the house
of our subject her home. This sketch of Mr. Sikes will serve as a
good example to all young men, he being wholly self-made and
educated. Mr. Sikes is a member of the County Wheel. He is
somewhat active in politics, and votes with the Democratic party.
Although not a church member, Mr. Sikes is an earnest worker in
all church as well as school work.[INDEX]

Stanley
B. Stroud, well known in agricultural circles, is a
native of Chambers County, Alabama, and was born on June 22,
1847. He was the youngest of ten children born to his parents,
James and Jane (Post) Stroud, natives of Georgia, born in 1802
and 1807, respectively. The father emigrated to Calhoun County,
Arkansas from Alabama in 1848 and entered land, and there he
passed his life, dying in 1881, his wife having previously died
on February 13, 1875. He was the son of Philip Stroud, born in
Virginia, of English descent, who was a soldier in the
Revolutionary War. Stanley B. Stroud was brought to this county
by his parents while in his infancy, and here he attained his
growth, and obtained a good common school education. He remained
at home until he attained his majority, and then he commenced
life on his own responsibility by engaging in farming. He was
married in 1882 to Miss Camella Tims, a native of Alabama, born
on January 5, 18060, the daughter of Rema and Caroline (Talbot)
Tims. Her paternal grandfather served in the Revolutionary War,
and her maternal grandfather also served in the patriot army,
with the rank of general. Her mother, Caroline Times, was a
daughter of Green B. Talbot, who was born in Oglethorpe County,
Georgia, in 1791, and died in Arkansas in 1875, whither he had
emigrated about 1870. He married Miss Mary Anthony, a native of
Jasper County, Georgia, born in 1795, the daughter of James and
Ann (Tate) Anthony; and she departed this life in this county in
1885. Mrs. Stroud was one of five children born to her parents,
only three of whom are now living. Her marriage with Mr. Stroud
was blessed in the birth of four children: James B., Rema B.,
Pearl and an infant. Mr. Stroud has been reasonably successful in
life, and now owns 200 acres of valuable land, with about sixty
acres under cultivation, lying about ten miles north of the
county seat, and about three miles south of Fordyce, in Moro
Township, in Calhoun County. His wife is a member of the
Missionary Baptist Church and in politics he affiliates with the
Democratic party.[INDEX]

George
Henry Thompson is prominent among the successful
agriculturists of the county, and among those deserving special
recognition for their long residence in this county, being a
member of on eof the earlier families. His parents, Daniel A. and
Matilda E. Thompson, natives of Tennessee and Alabama,
respectively, came to Arkansas in 1850, settling in Calhoun
County, where they continued to live until the death of the
mother, about 1879. The father is at present living in Grayson
County, Texas. He was engaged in the War of 1836; he also
enlisted in the late war in 1861, and served about one year. The
subject of this sketch was born December 15, 1844, in Jackson
County, Alabama and was principally reared in Ouachita County,
Arkansas, to which place his parents moved in 1853, when our
subject was but nine years of age. He received a limited
education at the common country schools, and began doing for
himself at the age of twenty one, choosing as his occupation in
life, farming. He now owns 140 acres of good land, forty of which
are under an excellent state of cultivation and always raises
good crops. He was married, October 3, 1866, to Miss Isabella H.
Means, a daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth H. Means, who moved
from St. Clair County, Alabama and settled in Calhoun county in
1853. Mr. Thompson enlisted as private in the late war, in 1862,
in Company G, Third Arkansas Cavalry, under Capt. Winburn, and
served under him for eighteen months, when Capt. Winburn was
killed. His place was taken by Capt. Dumar, under whom he served
until the close of the war. Mr. Thompson participated in the
battles of Chickamauga and Atlanta, Georgia. In the latter battle
he was slightly wounded in the body and was sent to the hospital
for a short time, but after recovering went back to his old
command and was in the battle at Thompson Station; also the
battle of Savannah, Georgia. Mr. Thompson is a member of the
Farmers' Union, also of the State Grange. He is a staunch
Democrat, but does not take an active part in politics. Both Mr.
and Mrs. Thompson are members of the Missionary Baptist Church,
the former joining in 1867, and the latter at the age of twelve.
Mr. Thompson takes a deep interest in the welfare of his county,
is a good farmer, and is a general favorite with his neighbors.[INDEX]

Colonel T. A. Thornton is a prominent planter of
Calhoun County, and was born in Alabama in 1836, the third in a
family of seven children born to W. S. and Nancy (Moor) Thornton.
October 5, 1844, his father came to Arkansas and settled at
Chambersville, and was about the third settler in the county.
They went west to the end of the road, where they made their
settlement in this county. Here he began farming by settling on a
tract of about 300 acres. He erected a home and made
improvements, and in about 1847 or 1848, he started a store on
his own place. This was the first store in Calhoun County. He
lived there until 1852, when he sold out and went to Camden,
where he engaged in merchandising, until 18060, when he sold out
and moved to Hampton, Calhoun County. Here he started an
extensive store, and continued in this business until the
outbreak of the war. He then retired from business until after
the war, when he engaged with a firm in New Orleans to sell goods
through the county; was soon after taken sick and died, November
7, 1867. His death closed an active business career. As an early
settler and pioneer he is well remembered throughout this
section. The mother died during the war, in 1863. Our subject was
reared on the farm, receiving his education at the common schools
and at home. At the outbreak of the war, he assisted in raising a
company in this county, and was elected first lieutenant of the
"Esco Pets," Capt. Joe McCullough was ordered to the
northwestern part of the State, and participated in the battle of
Pea Ridge. He was then transferred to the Eastern Division and
was in most of the battles there, from Shiloh to Sherman's
campaign. At Richmond, Kentucky, they captured five times as many
prisoners as the number of their men. He was captured at
Nashville, but soon made his escape. At the close of the war, he
came back home, and in October, 1865, married Miss Mattie
Pickett, daughter of W. J. Pickett. He now bought a farm and
began farming. From time to time, he has owned a farm of 300
acres, two miles west of town, 150 acres under cultivation. He
makes a specialty of cotton, averaging one half bale to the acre.
He has a good orchard, and one of the best farms in this section.
To the union of our subject and his wife have been born eleven
children, four of whom are dead, viz: William Frederic, Walter
H., Ever, Jimmie, Velma, Vera and Vivian; and Mary, Virgie,
Charley and Harris, who are dead. Mr. Thornton is a member of the
Wheel, and an active and enterprising citizen.[INDEX]

J.
T. O. Tibbits. Among the many enterprising and
successful farmers of Dallas Township is Mr. Tibbits. He was born
in Georgia in 1837, the second in a family of eight children born
to Job W. and Sarah (Somerville) Tibbits. His father followed
farming in Georgia until 1858, when he came to Arkansas, and
settled in Calhoun County, Dallas Township. Here he entered 400
acres, all wild, uncultivated land, and at once commenced
clearing and improving it. He died in 1862, after making good
improvements. The mother wen to Louisiana, where she became ill;
her son, our subject brought her to his home, where she died in
1873. Our subject was reared to farm labor, and attended school
but very little. He came to Arkansas with his father. At the
outbreak of the war he enlisted in Company K, Fourth Arkansas
Infantry, and was in the battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas. He was
sick for some six months, mostly in the hospital at Memphis; he
joined the regiment at West Point, Mississippi, and was in the
battles of Richmond, Kentucky, Murfreesboro, and down through the
Georgia campaign. He surrendered with General Johnson at
Greensboro, North Carolina. He was wounded at the battle of
Chickamauga, at Peach Tree, Georgia, and again while on his way
to meet a cavalry raid at Lovejoy Station. July 3, 1865, he
returned home, after making a short visit to friends in Georgia,
and began farming on his father's farm; he was almost destitute
on his arrival in Arkansas. In 1867 he married Mrs. Martha L.
Cross. In 1886 he purchased his present farm of eighty acres, to
which he has since added 900 acres, and has 200 acres under
cultivation. Here he does general farming, and raises all his own
provisions, and is engaged quite extensively in stock-raising. He
has not been active, politically, and votes with the Democratic
party. He is an earnest advocate of public schools, and has
served as school director for some years. To the union of Mr. and
Mrs. Tibbits have been born nine children, one of which died in
infancy, viz: Henry Greston, Ellen Frances, John Morgan
(deceased), Joe Johnston, Mollie Bell, Laura Jennie, Hattie Pearl
and Price Etta. Mr. Tibbits is a member of Wheel No. 1227, and is
one of the active and enterprising citizens of the county.[INDEX][NEXT
PAGE]